Celery

This popular vegetable has erect, succulent, semicircular stems and bright green, aromatic leaves. If not cropped the plant will produce flowers and then seed. The stems and leaves are used in salads, stews and soups. The seed is used to make tea to relieve gout and airthritis. Annual. H:30cm W:20cm. 12cm, 17cm.

In the garden:

Growth Characteristics:
• Biennial, Frost hardy.

Height:
• ±30 cm; Spread: ±20 cm.

Cultivation:
• Full sun; Well drained, composted soil.

Harvesting:
• Pick fresh leaves throughout the year,
• Outside stems can be picked individually or the whole plant can be harvested when mature.

Culinary use:

Use Celery leaves and stems in:
• Cream cheese, Curries, Pickles, Soups, Stews, Salads,
• Poultry stuffings,
• Add finely chopped leaves to milk for poaching fish and shellfish,
• The dried leaves can be crumbled and used as flavouring
• Use as a salt substitute in a salt-free diet. Grind into a powder to use as an ingredient of celery salt.

Health benefits:

Celery may be beneficial in the following cases:

General
• Rich in vitamins, mineral salts and other other active ingredients of nutritive value,
• Acts as an anti-oxidant,
• Bad breath,
• Ideal snack for weight loss as it contains a few calories and is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The diuretic property relieves water retention problems. It stimulates the thyroid, therefore increasing the metabolism to burn more calories.

Sensory System
• Eyes : Macular Degeneration - High in the Carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, that is beneficial for MD.

Musculo / Skeletal System
• Celery seed has been traditionally used in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, and gout.
• It is a diuretic and helps eliminate acidic metabolites through the kidneys, act as an anti-inflammatory, and relieve muscle spasms, cramps and pains (antispasmodic action).

Preparation and dosage:
TEA:
• 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed seeds in a cup of boiling water, drink three times a day.

TINCTURE:
• 2-4 ml of tincture made from seed, three times a day.

CONTRAINDICATION:
• The seeds should not be used during pregnancy, nor should large amounts of the herb.
Top